The Washington critic., 1887-01-12
A NOTED ADVENTURE.
Henry II. Finley OF This CITY and His


NhrIOuS Schehtr.
special cable dispatch to the New York
World states that Henry II. Finley of this
city is III London representing himself as Sc
cret agent Of MIR. Bayard Of the State De-
pariment at Washington. lie has just re.
turned from Paris, aud is believed to have
m6de similar professions there. At the
State Department It is asserted that Flnlej
represents nobody but himself The Alaska
Zeal Fur Company knows nothing about
him and none uf the people at the State
Department have ever heard Of him except
Though his Washington exploits. lie has
simply exhausted the field for bis operations
IN this country and Is at present using his
knowledge OF The officials Of Washington to
Iush bis fortunes In Europe.
Finley first went TO London year ago
| to sell f!5O, 0O0 worth of tcn-year six per
| cent. debenture bonds OF the Anglo AmGri-
| can Insurance Company. lie formed the
| acquaintance OF an American resident there
| who has large aud valuable business ac-
| quuintaDce and who uueuspectingy admit
ted him into close fflenIshlp Through
| the gtnerOsiiy OF his newly made but Vic
| timi2td sud unfortunate American friends
be wGs shown many social attentions and
| gained at once position that fcY strangers
can attoin In London. lie frequently spoke
| of the confidential mission with which he
asserts lie has been intrusted by Secretary
| Bayard. One of the duties conlided to him
| by the latter was, he declared, that Of Sc
| cretly inspecting the United States Consul
lates aDd Legation at LonEon. He also
| claimed to have important work to do In
London for the Alaska Seal Company, aud
| that he received for this alone salary OF
SlO,CCO per arnum.
lie made substantial progress In hls ef
forts TO sell the bonds OF the Auglo-Amerl-
can Insurance Company. The bait was
about to lie taken bya sJndlcate there, when
suddenly the American friend into whose
| favor lie Rad ingfatlatel himself Clbled to A
| gentleman at Washington and received au
| answer which aroused suspicion. The ne.
| gotiGtions were broken on, much TO the dis.
| gust of Finley. lie had gone so far aud
was so confident that he had cabled TO his
associates at Washington to draw on him TO
tho amount of $4,000. These drafts came,
but were protested, aud In short time after
the Anglo American Company failed, with
10 appreclabe assets, excepting few Office
| chairs aud desks.
The American gentleman at London,
| through whom he secured bis first acquaiut-
| anco in London and OF which he has made
| such effective uee, feels deeply humiliitel
| by Fiuley's conduct. Finley was received
Ut his house and took base advantage OF
| the privileges thus Afforded One result OF
|
few days since IN front OF the American
Exchange, in which Finley was denounced
as liar and imposter in the presence Of u
considerable number OF gentlemen.
| The lTOHd has taken the trouble to ascor-
tain Fipley's autecedents. lie belongs to
| the higher rank OF judges and colonies who
infest Washington and who live upon the
incredullty of simple minded people. Ills
career in Washington dates from the cam
paign of 1876. lie obtained employment
from the Democratic headquarters, and
| professed to be Mr. Tilden's only con.
| ildential agent who had control OF the bar
rel. His career from the winter OF 10 has
been simply the duplicate of many a lobby
let in Washington. He is well-kuown IN
| New Haven, Conn, and also In Michigan,
where his reputation ia odorous. lie then
came here aud connected himself with the
Anglo American Insurance Company,
| which insurance men declare was one OF
the biggest frauds in existence. lie pre-
tended TO lie an intimate friend OF Wilbur
| +. Storey, late editor of the Chicago Timss.
| Finley is a tall, broad-shouldered heavy
| figured man, with rather imposing man
ner TO those who Grc not familiar with the
ways Of the world. His conversation con-
sisted OF series Of mysterious whispers
| concerning inside views. Finley never had
| any outside views about anything. lie ac-
| quirCd his title of Colonel In combat before
| the Washington bars.